Chapter 15 - But there’s an additional food baby in there

2 weeks pass. I have a 12-week appointment in the morning where everything looks good and checks out, then we’re off to lunch. The scale read 212. The 5lbs I had gained during the holidays would have been at the very beginning of the pregnancy, so I’m only up 7lbs so I cannot be too mad for 3 months with triplets again. I have a hard time getting dressed, not wanting to admit I’m gaining weight and that my belly pushing through feels bigger this time. I might have lost a little weight and gained some baby actually. Mikhail is amazing at getting the girls in and out of the SUV with ease, making me feel like a pampered princess by the time we arrive at the restaurant.

We get a large table to fit the triplet stroller and a highchair around for baby Matty Jr. Saturday will be his first birthday party which we’ll be at but couldn’t wait for some couples time together. The men talk while Sarah and I talk about mom things like usual. We order food and I’m suddenly hit with a massive wave of hunger, much like I’ve experienced in the past, an insatiable feeling that had me bordered between making a pig out of myself in front of my husband and friends, and controlling myself but eating until I was full. Mikhail knows I’m seriously hungry because I willingly ordered an extra stack of pancakes on my own along with my French toast combo.

As we’re eating and talking, I can’t help but feel my stomach under the table. This experience differs greatly from the last triplet pregnancy because I’m starting off 50 pounds heavier so I have all this fresh squishy fat still around my belly while I can feel my firm bump pressing out underneath. I eat quickly, but not as quick as Sarah who looks like she’s the one eating for 4 instead. She makes pancakes, French toast, an omelet, breakfast sandwich, and muffin disappear with ease. I’m over here feeling stuffed after my French toast combo with scrambled eggs, bacon, and potatoes, plus pancakes. I lean back and stretch, while Mikhail takes it as an opportunity to rub my belly. I immediately drop my arms and shoo him away.

“What? I’m just feeling my babies?”

“But there’s an additional food baby in there, too.”

“And? I don’t care, beautiful. You’re feeding our children.”

I officially put in my resignation at work. After finding out I’m having triplets again I am advised not to work. I can’t take long term medical leave again so I apologize to Jake and the team before leaving via video call a couple days later.

Matty Jr’s party goes by without a hitch. Sarah and her sister Sandy hook it up with food like usual. Everyone at that party is sporting a food baby by the end, gorged on predominantly Sandy’s hearty cooking. They give us plates of food to take home because they made too much. I’m not sure why Sarah doesn’t just keep it considering how much she eats, but I’m not going to fight her sharing. By the time we get to the SUV, my stomach is bulging out like I am at least 6 months pregnant instead of 3. Mikhail gets the car seats before reaching over and rubbing my belly.

“I’m not even going to fight you this time,” I say, eyes closed, seat leaning back, cradling my full rounded stomach.

“Good, because I wasn’t going to let you stop me.”

“I’m going to get fat. Like really fat.”

“Pregnant. Really pregnant.”

“I’m serious, Mik. I haven’t lost the original baby weight and here I am not helping myself, eating too much… I’m going to have to get even bigger maternity clothes…”

“Beautiful, you’re going to be fine,” he says, hand still on my stomach. “Your body will once again do what it needs to to carry these babies. You beat the odds last time and created perfectly healthy girls. There was a high risk of them coming early and having health issues, but your body did what it needed to. I love you and support you fully. And the bigger your bump gets, the more area I have to love on you.”

Mikhail always seems to know how to ease my mind. It doesn’t take away all my worries, but he does always help me relax.

For Valentines’ Day, Mikhail planned a beautiful dinner at home knowing my hesitations of going out to eat while lugging around triplets on a busy holiday like today. We had a wonderful, decadent dinner followed by some chocolates and careful, sensual sex once the babies were asleep.

By the morning of my 16-week appointment on February 28th, I could feel a massive difference in my weight and how I am carrying. I’ve started having difficulties getting dressed with my belly sticking out further quicker. Comparing myself to when I was 16 weeks last time isn’t exactly the same since I’m not wearing the same sizes again, but I’ve been just subtracting out 50 lbs from my weight to compare since that’s how much bigger I’m starting out as. I check my notes on my phone and it looks like I went from 154 to 174 at this point, but if I had to guess I’m sure I’m up more than 20lbs. I’m not working and taking care of the babies all day, but I’m always exhausted and constantly grabbing for snacks to ease the constant hunger I feel.

My F-cup bras are starting to feel a little tight which is another indicator that I’ve definitely been gaining weight. I pull on a fitted dress I wore last pregnancy and examine my silhouette, my unusually exaggerated curves stretching me in different directions. From the front, my hips clearly sit wide and round, creating the bottom of what’s left of my disappearing hourglass. From the side, my belly is well past my boobs, round and taking charge, then down to my big round butt that’s helping to weigh me down back there. My arms and legs are still fatter than I’d like them to be, but not nearly as noticeable.

Scale: 230. Fuck. That’s 25 lbs in 16 weeks. I’m definitely showing more and gaining more this time then. That doesn’t stop Mikhail from taking my lazy butt to all-you-can-eat buffets and bringing home take out to avoid cooking and putting more stress on myself and the babies. He’s been very helpful in making sure food is taken care of and catering to me and both sets of triplets. Grocery pickup generally consists of multiple tubs of ice cream, packages of cookies, cakes, treats, and snacks to keep my belly stocked up.

At 20 weeks I have my anatomy where the technician puts the genders in an envelope and confirms during our almost 3 hours long ultrasound, that there are indeed only 3 still in there contrary to my size. I have to squirm and wiggle around often due to the weight of my belly pressing down on me for so long during the ultrasound. Afterwards, it is time for my actual appointment. Last time I was up 33 lbs at this point. The scale today: 245. I’ve gained 40 lbs so far and I’m not even through the major growth spurts yet. Probably by next week I’m going to be how much I weighed at birth last time at this rate. I slowly start getting depressed, cradling my massive belly as the doctor does her exam and shares information from the anatomy scans.

“All 3 babies look healthy in there, mama. You have some excess fluid which is causing a bigger bump, and as predicted, babies are bigger than average so expect the scale to keep climbing. Take it easy, eat small snacks, and don’t overdo it. We want these babies to cook another 16 weeks to get you to the 36-week goal.”

I’m honestly surprised she didn’t tell me to put the fork down. On the drive home, Mikhail rubs my belly after helping me click my seatbelt. We pull through our usual donut and boba place that has come to recognize our SUV from coming over the last year. The worker peaks in through the driver’s window and sees my massive blob of a body sitting in the passenger seat. I’ve definitely blown up the last month since we’ve been through, but I’m sure my expression didn’t help.

“Oh my, you look exhausted,” she says. I know she’s trying not to assume anything based-off my size, so thankfully Mikhail clears that up with his next comment.

“Yep, she’s pregnant with triplets again so we’re here to feed the babies.”

“Oh my goodness, congratulations. That is so strange to have triplets twice, no?”

“It is, but guess she’s so beautiful while doing it, we were blessed twice.”

We get our donuts and boba and drive home. I eat my 3 and feel a little depressed still. Mikhail gets the girls out of the car while I put back on my belly brace and waddle with my hands on the small of my back into the house. I plop on the couch and pull up my shirt to start nursing the babies while Mikhail changes the one I wasn’t feeding then we switch. I am quiet which Mikhail picks up on, sits next to me, and rubs my belly.

“You got this, beautiful.”

“I know… It’s just… I’m gaining so much. Like alot more than last time.”

“Well, these are MY babies after all; the doctor said they’re bigger than average and you have extra fluid so don’t worry about it too much. We can order some new clothes soon if you want.”

“We’re going to have to. This dress is barely cutting it. I wore this near the end with the girls and it’s nearly at its stretching capacity already. Plus, I need a bigger bra again.”

“Oh yeah? Daddy likey.” Mikhail does his best at pulling me out from where my mental state landed today, but I’m just stuck. Which leads me to snack throughout the day until meals, which I know are just adding calories I don’t need. My stomach stays firm between the babies and constant food all day. I barely leave the couch unless it’s to change the babies or use the restroom, until bedtime at which point I’m so bloated and stiff from sitting that I need Mikhail’s help. He cradles my belly as I stand and kisses the top of my head. Mikhail has been working from home as much as he can, which has been tremendously helpful, but also adds to my laziness over the following weeks.